Assembly, kit and method for securing a covering to an air intake including magnetic connecting inserts

Abstract

A magnetized fastening system for applying, over an opening and surrounding fascia of a structure, a covering material including either of a flexible or rigid outer reinforced extending perimeter within which is configured a plurality of receiving apertures. A plurality of rails are adapted to being secured to the fascia in extending fashion proximate the opening, each of the rails exhibiting a three dimensional cross sectional shape with a forwardly projecting support surface within which is configured an outwardly facing narrowed slot for receiving a plurality of fasteners for securing the edges of the covering. A magnetized insert secures together the elongated channels in perimeter defined fashion over the intake opening. This can further include any of the channels being magnetically attracting, the connectors magnetically attracting metal intake surface of the air handling unit, and/or an intermediate applied strip between the rear surfaces of the channels and the intake face (typically non-metallic or non-attracting in this variant), such providing an opposite polar attraction to the magnet contained in the corner “L” or intermediate, linear “T” or cross shaped inserts, such as which can include a rare earth magnet contained in a pocket configured on an inside face of the insert.

We claim: 
     
       1. An assembly for installing a flexible material to a perimeter extending face surrounding an air intake opening, said assembly comprising:
 a plurality of elongated supports arranged in extending fashion around the intake opening, each of said supports having a base surface adapted to being secured along the face the intake opening, each of said supports exhibiting a forwardly projecting support surface within which is configured a slot in communication with an interior channel defined in each of said supports; 
 a plurality of fasteners installable through an accessible end location of each support such that a base of each fastener is retained within and traversable along said interior channel defined in said support, a projecting portion of each fastener extending from said base and through said slot; 
 a plurality of inserts adapted to inter-engage said end locations of opposing extending supports to define a closed perimeter; 
 each of said inserts further having extending sides which compression fit within said end locations of opposing extending supports, screws inserted through said elongated supports for engaging said extending sides of said inserts; 
 a magnet incorporated into each of said inserts and which is adapted to attract to the intake face for fixing the elongated supports in place over the intake opening; and 
 a plurality of perimeter defined apertures in the flexible material receiving said projecting portions of said fasteners to affix the material to the perimeter extending supports and to extend over the intake opening. 
 
     
     
       2. The assembly as described in  claim 1 , further comprising a pocket configured in a base of said insert for receiving said magnet. 
     
     
       3. The assembly as described in  claim 2 , further comprising at least one of crush dimples or crush ridges configured upon inner defined surfaces of said pocket for frictionally engaging said magnet. 
     
     
       4. The assembly as described in  claim 2 , further comprising an adhesive for securing said magnet within said pocket. 
     
     
       5. The assembly as described in  claim 1 , further comprising a planar metallic strip adapted to being secured to the perimeter extending face of the air intake opening for attracting the insert secured magnets. 
     
     
       6. The assembly as described in  claim 1 , said plurality of inserts further comprising a plurality of corner “L” shaped connectors. 
     
     
       7. The assembly as described in  claim 6 , said plurality of inserts further comprising at least a pair of intermediate positioned “T” shaped connectors for securing an additional elongated support adapted to extend across the intake. 
     
     
       8. The assembly as described in  claim 7 , each of said “L” shaped corner and intermediate “T” shaped connectors further comprising embossment portions configured along opposite outer and inner edge locations for establishing a seamless appearance with said opposing extending supports. 
     
     
       9. The assembly as described in  claim 1 , further comprising a recessed pocket defined in each said extending sides. 
     
     
       10. The assembly as described in  claim 1 , said extending sides of said inserts each further comprising protuberances. 
     
     
       11. The assembly as described in  claim 10 , said protuberances further comprising at least one of dimples or ramped portions. 
     
     
       12. The assembly as described in  claim 1 , said inserts further comprising each of angled and linear interconnecting configurations for configuring the perimeter as any of a square or rectangular. 
     
     
       13. The assembly as described in  claim 1 , further comprising any of a two-sided adhesive tape, a magnet, a glue or screw/bolt for securing said base surface of each support to the intake face. 
     
     
       14. An assembly kit for installing a flexible ply material to a perimeter extending face surrounding an air intake opening, said kit comprising:
 a plurality of elongated supports adapted to being arranged in extending fashion around the intake opening, each of said supports having a base surface adapted to being secured along the face the intake opening, each of said supports exhibiting a modified “U” shaped cross sectional shape with a forwardly projecting support surface within which is configured a slot; 
 a plurality of fasteners installable through an accessible end location of each support such that a base of each fastener is retained within and traversable along an interior channel defined in said support, a projecting portion of each fastener extending from said base and through said slot; 
 a plurality of inserts adapted to inter-engage said end locations of opposing extending supports to define a closed perimeter, said inserts further including each of angled and linear interconnecting configurations for configuring an extending perimeter of said elongated supports, a pocket configured into a base communicating an inside facing surface of said inserts; 
 a magnet having a three dimensional shape resistively engaging within said pocket such that, upon assembly, each of said inserts attract to the intake face for fixing the elongated supports in place over the intake opening; and 
 the flexible ply material having a plurality of perimeter defined apertures configured about the flexible material for receiving said fasteners to affix the material to the perimeter extending supports and to extend over the intake opening. 
 
     
     
       15. The kit as described in  claim 14 , further comprising an adhesive for securing said magnet within said pocket configured in said base communicating surface of each of said inserts. 
     
     
       16. The kit as described in  claim 14 , further comprising a planar metallic strip adapted to being secured to the perimeter extending face of the air intake opening for attracting the insert secured magnets. 
     
     
       17. The kit as described in  claim 14 , said plurality of inserts further comprising a plurality of corner “L” shaped connectors. 
     
     
       18. The kit as described in  claim 17 , said plurality of inserts further comprising at least a pair of intermediate positioned “T” shaped connectors for securing an additional elongated support adapted to extend across the intake. 
     
     
       19. An assembly for installing a flexible material to a perimeter extending face surrounding an air intake opening, said assembly comprising:
 a plurality of elongated supports arranged in extending fashion around the intake opening, each of said supports having a base surface adapted to being secured along the face the intake opening, each of said supports exhibiting a forwardly projecting support surface within which is configured a slot in communication with an interior channel defined in each of said supports; 
 a plurality of fasteners installable through an accessible end location of each support such that a base of each fastener is retained within and traversable along said interior channel defined in said support, a projecting portion of each fastener extending from said base and through said slot; 
 a plurality of inserts having extending ends adapted to inter-engage said end locations of opposing extending supports to define a closed perimeter, projecting crush portions extending from each of said extending ends such that, upon engagement within said supports, collapsing of said crush portions providing frictional and resistive engagement; 
 a magnet incorporated into each of said inserts and which is adapted to attract to the intake face for fixing the elongated supports in place over the intake opening; and 
 a plurality of perimeter defined apertures in the flexible material receiving said projecting portions of said fasteners to affix the material to the perimeter extending supports and to extend over the intake opening. 
 
     
     
       20. The assembly as described in  claim 19 , said crush portions further comprising any of dimples, linear extending ramps, or triangular and width extending profiles.